This disclosure relates to improvements in a load-clamping system with variable clamping force control by which a wide variety of dissimilar loads of different types, geometric configurations and/or other parameters can be accurately clamped at respective variable optimal clamping force settings.
A prior clamping system shown in U.S. Patent application publication No. 2009/0281655A1, published Nov. 12, 2009 and resulting in U.S. Pat. No. 8,078,315, provides automatic variable maximum clamping force control in response to sensors which determine both the individual load type and load geometric configuration information for each different load. However a significant problem with this highly automatic prior system has been the practical difficulty encountered by load handling facilities in establishing a current database of information necessary to enable the system to operate effectively for a wide variety of load types and geometric configurations encountered in such facilities. The costs and complexities associated with accurately developing, storing, maintaining, matching and communicating the load type, geometric configuration, and optimal clamping force information necessary for the prior system to function adequately in such load handling operations has created difficult challenges. However, the alternative of permitting the operator to control the clamping force levels creates other significant problems, often due to the operator's normal tendency to overclamp the loads and thereby damage either the loads or their packaging or both.